Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwich

Crockpot Italian beef sandwich is one of my favorite easy meals.  This recipe makes the best and juiciest roast beef sandwich ever.  I love that you only need five ingredients.  The roast is seasoned and seared in a frying pan and then placed in the crockpot with Italian seasoning, water and pepperoncini peppers with their juices.  The flavor is out of this world and your house will smell delicious all day.  This is one of my most requested recipes when we plan family get togethers.

Ingredients for Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwich:

This recipe is super easy because all you need is:

• 4 lbs of chuck roast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 0.7 oz packet Italian dressing mix
• 2 cups water or beef broth
• 1 16 oz bottle mild pepperoncinis
• Optional:  1 red pepper, 1 green pepper & 1 medium onion, sliced for topping
• Optional:  Slices of pepper jack or provolone cheese for topping

It doesn’t get much easier than that!

How to make crockpot Italian beef sandwich:

• Season the chuck roast on both sides with ground sea salt and fresh pepper.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and place the roast in the pan.
• Sear the meat on all sides on medium high until it is well-browned.  See picture above.
• Remove the meat from the frying pan and place in a crockpot on low heat.  You can deglaze the frying pan by adding a little water and scraping the drippings and juice into the crockpot with the beef.  This gets all those yummy brown bits into your juice.

• Pour Italian dressing mix over the roast.  Yes I still use this Italian dressing mix as it really is perfect.
• Pour water or beef broth over the meat and seasoning mix.  Let it cook on low for 8-9 hours on low heat or until the roast shreds easily.  Shred the roast beef.
• Add the pepperoncinis with their juice.  Turn heat to high and cook for at least 30 minutes.
• If desired in a large skillet saute in 1 tbsp olive oil sliced green and red pepper and onion until tender.
• Serve on deli rolls or hoagi buns.  You can add some additional pepperoncini peppers if desired which I highly recommend.   Top sandwich with peppers and onions and a slice of pepper jack or provolone cheese.  You can place the sandwich in the toaster oven for 2-3 minutes until the bread toasts and the cheese melts.  You can ladle a little juice over the meat or serve the juice on the side in a small bowl for dippping.  I really like my sandwich to be juicy and drippy!!

Notes:

1. Chuck roast is the best cut of meat to use for this sandwich which becomes very tender in the crockpot and shreds easily.   Top round roast can be used as well.
2.  You can add Italian giardiniera which is pickled Italian vegetables with the pepperoncinis if desired.  I also like to add additional pepperoncinis before serving for the tangy, briney flavors.
3. You can butter the bun and toast it before filling it with meat if desired so it doesn’t absorb as much juice and fall apart.
4. I highly recommend cooking pepper and onions to add to the top of your sandwich.  This gives it great flavor.
5. You can use provolone, pepper jack or any other cheese on top of the sandwich or you can leave the cheese off if desired.  Place the sandwich under the broiler or in the air fryer to melt the cheese or you can just let the cheese melt over the hot roast beef.
6. You can serve the roast beef dry or ladle some of the juice over it before serving.  You can also pour juice into a small bowl and dip the sandwich into it.

Other recipes to try:

Beef & Everything Sandwich

Cuban Sandwich Sliders

Sloppy Joes

Cuban Mojo Pork Roast

Sloppy Joes

Recipe updated 4/19/26.

Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwich

LeAnn

My crockpot Italian beef sandwich is so flavorful and has only five ingredients. Put in the crockpot and forget it until ready to eat!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 7 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 slow cooker

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 4 lb chuck roast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 0.7 oz packets Italian dressing mix
• 2 cups water or beef broth
• 1 16 oz bottle pepperoncini or banana peppers (with 1/2 of juice) or more to taste
• 1 red pepper, sliced, optional for topping
• 1 green pepper, sliced, optional for topping
• 1 medium onion, sliced, optional for topping
• 8 slices provolone or pepper jack cheese, optional for topping

Instructions

 

• Season the chuck roast with fresh ground sea salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Salt and pepper the chuck roast on both sides. Add the chuck roast and sear on medium high on all sides until they are golden brown.
• Remove the roast from the frying pan and place in a large crockpot on low heat. Deglaze the frying pan with a little water and add to beef in the crockpot.
• Sprinkle Italian seasoning packet over the beef and then pour in the water or beef broth. Cook 8-9 hours on low heat or until the roast shreds easily. Shred the roast beef.
• Add the pepperoncinis with half of the juice to the crockpot. Cook another 30 minutes on high. (May add more of the juice if desired).
• Saute peppers and onion in olive oil in a skillet to add to the top of the sandwich if desired.
• Serve the roast beef on a deli roll or hoagi bun. May use a slotted spoon to drain beef if desired. You can add more pepperoncinis on top of the roast beef. Add peppers and onions if using. May add a slice of your choice of cheese (I use pepper jack) and place under the broiler or in the toaster oven to melt the cheese and toast the bun. Serve with a side of au ju or you can ladle a little of the juice over the sandwich to make it nice and juicy.
• Note: Calories do not include the bun.

Keyword Crockpot Italian Roast Beef Sandwich, Crockpot Roast Beef Sandwich, Roast Beef Sandwich, Italian Roast Beef Sandwich

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!